


"Are you in love with me?"

by tikkikwami



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast), The Adventure Zone: Amnesty (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, One Shot, Trans Duck Newton, characters mentioned in conversation are Aubrey Dani Mama Ned and Barclay, not edited because im lazy today lads, teen rating is for cursing, the secondhand embarrassment i felt while writing this was way too real, this is absolute self-indulgent fluff, uhhhhhh the plot is just smooching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 00:59:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18435752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tikkikwami/pseuds/tikkikwami
Summary: Indrid was shocked out of his thoughts when Duck said something. “Oh, what was that?” he asked, turning to look at Duck. Interestingly, his face was bright red - he could tell even with the red-tinted glasses.“Are you in love with me?” Duck repeated, flicking up his gaze to Indrid’s. He sat up, crossing his legs now and facing Indrid, the eye contact making the seer’s heart speed up.It was like his brain froze.The thing is, normally Indrid knows exactly what’s going to happen in a conversation....Except when he gets distracted. Then he’s screwed. His future vision doesn’t work if he isn’t paying attention to it.





	"Are you in love with me?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Kailee, Sheepy, Tin, and Ren for helping me flesh out this idea while I suffered through my research ethics class. I love y'all and our conversations so much. <3

Indrid sighed as he watched the sunset, the colors muted by his tinted glasses, but still pleasing to look at. Duck sat up beside him, leaning back on his hands with his legs out in front of him, his boots carefully placed off the edge of the blanket so it wouldn’t get dirty. The little details of the way Duck worked just made Indrid fall for him more every time. 

But his mind was elsewhere. Countless futures unfolded in parallel across the canvas of his mind, obscuring any other thoughts. He focused precisely on the futures that seemed interesting. 

It seemed Mama’s truck would break down tomorrow, but Barclay could fix it in most futures, and Ned could fix it in the others. He didn’t need to intervene, not that he knew how to fix a truck anyway. That seemed to be the most disastrous thing likely to happen soon, anyway. As long as Barclay doesn’t forget to put salt in the food tonight, which would then cause Jake to make fun of him, but he might get genuinely upset. It was unlikely, though, and even if it happened, they would quickly make up anyway.

On a lighter note, tonight Dani was going to ask out Aubrey on their first date, that is, as long as Aubrey doesn’t ask first. It’s funny the way things go. Seeing dozens of versions of the scene play out at once used to be dizzying, but now it’s as natural as breathing. Dani giving Aubrey a rose. Dani tripping and dropping the rose, Aubrey picking it up and grinning widely at her soon-to-be girlfriend. Or Dani smiling shyly at Aubrey, giving her a little speech that Aubrey interrupts with a kiss. 

Or, if Dani chickens out and doesn’t buy the rose: Dani taking Aubrey to the gardens, her face smudged with dirt as she smiles at her best friend, knowing she has to ask her out soon. Doing so immediately, and laughing as Aubrey shrieked “yes!”

Sometimes it wasn’t so pleasant watching others be in love together, dating happily, when he himself had been single for years. Yes, he had someone he cared about - sitting right beside him, even - but asking him out on a date? Giving him a rose? In 95% of futures Duck would say yes, his eyes brightening with surprise and happiness. In 4% of the futures he would be too embarrassed to answer, but eventually accept the offer. In 0.01% of futures Duck would ask him out first.

In 0.9% of futures he would reject Indrid, and that chance was just enough to dissuade him from asking. 

Oh. It seemed that Dani was on her way to buying the rose. Even without future vision, he knew how happy she and Aubrey would be together. They deserved it. They were good people.

Indrid was shocked out of his thoughts when Duck said something. “Oh, what was that?” he asked, turning to look at Duck. Interestingly, his face was bright red - he could tell even with the red-tinted glasses.

“Are you in love with me?” Duck repeated, flicking up his gaze to Indrid’s. He sat up, crossing his legs now and facing Indrid, the eye contact making the seer’s heart speed up.

It was like his brain froze.

The thing is, normally Indrid knows exactly what’s going to happen in a conversation. 

During the conversation, each time someone speaks, the next person formulates what to say before they actually say it, and Indrid knows what they plan to say before they do say it. And the variations they think of, knowing which are more probable than the others. 

And even before the conversation starts, Indrid knows what directions it will likely take. How long the interaction will last in the given scenarios. The topics the other person plans to bring up, or will likely plan to bring up in response to what Indrid says. He sees his own reactions to what people say, knows what direction his mind will wander in from the conversation topic, knows how the conversation will end. 

Except when he gets distracted. Then he’s screwed. His future vision doesn’t work if he isn’t paying attention to it. 

Duck had caught him off guard. He had no idea how to respond to this, had been too distracted to even see that this unlikely scenario had become certain in the past few minutes. Hadn’t even given it a thought earlier, seeing that in 99% of futures he and Duck would have a calm and uneventful evening, just as they usually do. They’d been spending a lot of time together, recently, and it made him so happy.

Of course, the answer was yes, a strong and resounding yes. Of course he was in love with Duck Newton, who wouldn’t be? Biting his lip and looking back at the sunset, heart racing, he pondered how to reply, summoning visions of how this conversation will go.

But his thoughts were, again, interrupted by Duck talking. “Y’don’t have to- don’t try to figure out this conversation ‘fore it even happens, ‘Drid.” The ranger smiled nervously at him. “I just- I just want to know, the, uh, the honest truth.” 

“I- I’m-” Indrid stuttered, his lilting voice higher than normal due to embarrassment. He pushed his glasses up on his forehead in a nervous gesture, smoothing his hair out of his face. Then he looked over at Duck again, feeling his chest grow warm at the little smile Duck had on his face. “I’m _flustered_ , Duck. You’ve flustered me.” 

Duck’s smile widened into a grin, the blush on his face never fading a bit. It was a lot prettier without the glasses hiding its hue. “Y’didn’t answer.” 

“That’s because I’m just dying over here, if you haven’t noticed,” Indrid said playfully. “I don’t- I’m shy, you know this.” Falling into the habit of teasing was easier than just answering the damn question. “Why do you do this to me?” 

The ranger put his hand over Indrid’s, lightly, as if he was fragile. “‘M not tryin’ to do anythin’ to you. I’m just askin’ a question.” 

Indrid flipped his hand over so he could hold Duck’s hand properly, and rubbed his thumb over the back of it as he panicked internally. “Are you- are you sure you want to ask me this?” 

“You’re stalling,” Duck said in a sing-song voice. It seemed he was enjoying how flustered Indrid was. And he _really_ was. 

Maybe if Indrid knew he wouldn’t be rejected, it would be easier to admit his feelings. Or it would at least be less embarrassing if Duck didn’t want to date him, because he could just laugh it off instead of answering honestly. As if he didn’t love Duck. Well, he doubted anyone would believe him if he said he wasn’t completely heads over heels for the guy, but still. “You go first.” 

Then Duck laughed, lifting an eyebrow. “What? What do I have to do?” 

“You- you have to-” Indrid’s shyness took over, his mouth refusing to cooperate. He took a deep breath. “You have to say whether you love me or not. Then I’ll answer.” 

The ranger hummed. “Think I asked first for a reason, actually.” Indrid looked at him despairingly. He still couldn’t help but admire the way Duck’s hair subtly shined as the golden rays of sun got softer. Even when he was being kind of tortured by him. 

The seer put his hands over his face, feeling for the first time how _hot_ his skin was. Great, he was probably blushing like a madman. “I can’t,” he whined. 

“I just… I think I know the answer, actually, I just wanna- I just need to hear it,” Duck said softly. It sounded like he was closer than before. Indrid squeaked as he felt one Duck’s hands gently wrap around his wrist, pulling the hand to his lips and giving it a featherlight kiss. He couldn’t breathe. “If you really don’t wanna, you don’t have to say it.” 

Slowly dropping his other hand from his face, Indrid blinked at him as he thought. “I want to,” he insisted, feeling a thrill at Duck’s little smile returning. “I think I may need a minute, though.” 

“That’s okay,” the ranger replied. The look he was giving Indrid made him feel like he was melting inside. “Take your time.” 

Indrid took a deep breath. And another. “I haven’t… said this to anyone. Ever. Not romantically.”

Duck shrugged. “I did, but it didn’t feel like this.” His crooked smile was contagious. He still hadn’t let go of Indrid’s hand, and was rubbing the back of it with his thumb. It felt nice. It was something Indrid had found himself wanting on quite a few occasions when he was with Duck, and now he was finally getting the affection he wanted, but… he was absolutely losing it, apparently, instead of returning the affection. 

Summoning his courage, Indrid leaned in and pressed his lips against Duck’s. He felt the ranger’s lips curve into a smile. “Okay, fine,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against Duck’s, his glasses bumping into him gracelessly. “I’m in love with you, Duck Newton.” 

Duck then laughed in relief, peppering little kisses on Indrid’s mouth and chin. “I love you, too,” he replied, giving Indrid’s hand a squeeze. “I’m so glad I can finally fuckin’ say it, goddamn.” 

“I guess you’ve been waiting for a while,” Indrid said sympathetically, leaning away to sit up straight again, and taking his hand back from Duck’s. “I have been, too. But I just. Couldn’t. It wouldn’t come out.” He looked down for a moment, the extended eye contact feeling too intense. “I tried several times, you know.” 

The brightness of Duck’s smile took Indrid’s breath away. “That was when you give me that drawing a couple of days ago, yeah?” It was a detailed sketch of Duck and Indrid laughing together. They looked so wrapped up in one another’s presence, like they were the only two people in the world. It made Indrid blush looking at it, wondering if others could really see it so easily. That Duck made him so happy. His heart had pounded so quickly when he gave it to Duck, the words dying on his lips. _I love you, Duck._

Smiling, Indrid nodded, careful of his glasses. “That was real nice, y’know,” Duck continued.

“Nice of you to frame it,” Indrid said, fidgeting with the frayed edge of his hoodie with a small bit of nervous energy. The happy kind of nervous. “I don’t think anyone has done that before.” 

“First of all, that’s fuckin’ impossible. Your art is gorgeous, ain’t no reason for it to be all hidden away in the ‘bago.” 

Indrid found himself struck by shyness again. He didn’t know what to say - Duck was so kind to him that it made his head spin sometimes. “You’re embarrassing me,” he said with an exaggerated pout. 

Duck squinted at him. “And y’know, you haven’t been to my apartment since I framed it, so I know you’ve been spyin’ on me. Busted.” 

Indrid grinned at him guiltily. “Not intentionally,” he insisted. That was partially true, anyway. Any futures involving Duck immediately drew his interest, moreso than other people. But when something in the vision was private, he would quickly switch his focus to a different vision. Standard procedure, giving people privacy. “I haven’t been creeping on you, I promise.” 

“Mmmmhm,” Duck skeptically agreed, teasing Indrid. “Sure. But hey, what can y’do? I’m a handsome dude.” 

The seer couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Duck with a little smile. “Yeah,” he breathed. “You are.” 

Duck blushed. He didn’t seem to be expecting that. “I’m not- I was kiddin’, jeez, here you go tryin’ to be all nice and shit.” 

Indrid reached over and took his hand again, intertwining their fingers this time. He turned back to the sun. It had almost completely slipped beyond the horizon while they were distracted by one another. Duck moved, too, and he wrapped his arm around Indrid’s waist, pulling him a little closer. With a happy sigh, Indrid pulled his glasses back down onto his face, then leaned his head against Duck’s shoulder, closing his eyes. 

He hadn’t felt this content in… maybe ever? The thought was surprising in a pleasant way. That his life was better now than ever, now that he’s _dating_ the lovely _Duck Newton_ \- something he’d dreamed of for far too long without doing anything to make it happen. Thank goodness Duck made the first move. Indrid wasn’t sure he was ever going to be able to summon the courage. 

“I love you,” Indrid repeated quietly, feeling warm. 

Duck kissed the top of his head. “I love you, too,” he answered.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot! <3  
> Rest assured that more Indruck is coming soon, lol.


End file.
